Hood is not only a good cover corner but a fierce tackler, as well. That's the brand of football Jim Harbaugh wants to play.

Since taking over in 2024, GM Joe Hortiz and coach Jim Harbaugh have not taken a defensive player in the first two rounds of the draft. That was a fine strategy when they had Jesse Minter, a defensive coordinator who proved capable of doing more with less from a personnel standpoint. But now Minter is gone, and the Chargers have a first-year play caller in new defensive coordinator Chris O'Leary. They need to invest in defensive talent. As it stands, edge rushers Odafe Oweh and Khalil Mack are headed for free agency. Even if the Chargers re-sign both players, they should start planning for life after Mack, who is entering his age-35 season. Faulk gives the Chargers a player to groom in the edge room. He has alignment versatility that will pair well with the flexible Tuli Tuipulotu, who has been very successful kicking inside on pass-rush downs in his career.

I'm not as high on Peter Woods as the industry consensus. He does possess a rare combination of power and athleticism that causes scouts to drool, but I worry about his length and how it will translate to the next level. I'd also like to see him showcase it more often. There are too many snaps where he looks ordinary.

Best Pick: They landed my Better-Than captain Jamaree Caldwell in the third round, which is a steal. They finally have a player who can dominate inside against the run and push the pocket. Watch how good he becomes.

Worst Pick: Second-round receiver Tre Harris is a solid player, but I think there were better options on the board when they took him. He isn't a speed guy.

The Skinny: They landed good football players up and down the draft board, guys I really liked. Taking running back Omarion Hampton in the first will give the offense some juice in the running game. Caldwell will be a steal. I like tight end Orande Gadsden Jr. in the fifth. It was nice haul.

Top needs entering the draft: Wide receiver, tight end, guard and defensive tackle

It's Jim Harbaugh's second draft with the Chargers, and he further built this roster in his vision. Los Angeles had to make some tough salary cap decisions last season in cutting Mike Williams (before bringing him back after a year) and trading Keenan Allen in his first offseason with the team, and it continued this spring with Joey Bosa's release. But there is a new nucleus appearing, and I think some of these 2025 draft picks could be big parts of that.

The key picks here are their first few. Omarion Hampton is a three-down back with the ability to hit a home run any time he takes a handoff. He was the only player in the FBS to run for 1,500-plus yards and 15-plus touchdowns in 2023 and 2024. The Chargers also signed Najee Harris, so expect an effective rushing attack to support Justin Herbert. (They used play-action 33.6% of the time last season, second most in the league.)

Tre Harris was the other early pick. The Chargers desperately needed a wide receiver. Ladd McConkey had a great rookie season, but he was also a second-round pick responsible for 29.5% of the team's receiving yards (1,149). Harris has dealt with some injuries, but he has the talent to take weight off McConkey. Harris went over 1,000 yards despite playing only eight games in 2024.

The Chargers went defense in Round 3. They allowed 4.7 yards per carry last season (27th) and lost Poona Ford in free agency. Defensive tackle Jamaree Caldwell is a solid run blocker, and the 332-pounder should improve that area of Los Angeles' defense (though I might have gone with Yahya Black or CJ West there; both of whom were ranked higher).

I'm surprised the Chargers didn't address the interior offensive line. I projected Grey Zabel to them in Round 1 in my final mock draft, but the only offensive line addition was sixth-round tackle Branson Taylor. I docked the Chargers a bit there, but there were some good Day 3 finds in their class. Kyle Kennard had 11.5 sacks last season and can help alleviate the loss of Joey Bosa. Oronde Gadsden II catches everything thrown his direction, which is why I listed him as my favorite sleeper tight end in the class. And safety Trikweze Bridges was one of my "Orange Crushers" on "First Draft" this year. I'm a big fan of his game.